Nemia
Though the native inhabitants and verdant wilderness were erased by the Seven-Years War of Gnosian aggression, Nemia once thrived. Four tribal conglomerates ruled the land, each with their own internal politics, religeous beliefs, and areas of exotic expertise. Common mingling between the four was scarce, though there were occasional competitive inclinings. War between the tribes was averted by necessity-- that necessity being the ceremony known as the "Offering of Reconciliation" performed once every nine years. The Offering required each tribe to send a group of youths, along with a guide, to each of the other tribes-- a daunting task given the hazardous environs and dangerous indigenous creatures known to once inhabit Nemia. When their circuit of the nation was comlpeted, they were said to partake in a ceremony as ancient as it was mysterious... Tribal "Patronage" At any time in Nemia, one of the four great tribes is regarded as the Patron Tribe. The Patron Tribe is charged with hosting the ceremonial Offering of Reconciliation once every nine years, as well as facilitating the competitive series of games that accompany it. While the Offering is the singular most important objective of the pilgrimage, the games serve as the central spectacle. Whichever tribe wins these series of challenges earns the right to host the next Offering, and in so doing becomes the Patron Tribe for the next nine years. Tribe Mercura The current Patron Tribe is also able to boast the purest and most ancient blood lineage, tying them in an unbroken line to the earliest inhabitants of Nemia. Many Nemians, even those from other tribes, look to Mercura for leadership and guidance. The Mercurans are the stewards of the river Nym and the Verdant Deepwoods. Tribal Patronage comes naturally to Mercura-- they have been named Patron Tribe an unparalleled nine times. Unlike other tribes, they recognize art and literacy as civil standards, and prize a keen mind over a sharp blade. Tribe Vaxas Most Nemians are too proud to admit that they secretly fear Tribe Vaxas. As the stewards of the Swampland and Southern Desert, the Vaxal lands are host to the harshest climates in Nemia. Only once in remembered history has Vaxas served as the Patron Tribe, and it is remembered as a dark year for the pilgrimage. It has been long suspected that Tribe Vaxas benefits in ways that other tribes do not as a result of the Offering of Reconciliation... Tribe Dolse The Dolsers are the humble stewards of the Floodplains and the Naked Coast. Given their geographical predicament, Tribe Dolse experiences the most contact with the outside world of any of the four tribes. Such contact is strictly condemned... yet sea-storms and errors in navigation frequently inflicts foreign visitations on Tribe Dolse regardless. Dolsers, being inherantly kindhearted, try their best to accomodate their unwitting guests from across the globe-- and sometimes benefit in strange ways from their coming. Tribe Dolse has never served as Patron Tribe. Tribe Ikann The stewards of the Mountains and Highlands provide Nemia with the bulk of its livestock and produce. When an Ikkani is born he is given a horse and a weapon, and the rest of his life is dedicated to mastering both. Harboring a fierce competitive instinct has led Tribe Ikann to hold the title of Patron Tribe three times in remembered history-- a relatively close second-place to the ancient Mercurans. Ikanni never shy from a fight, and hold the bonds of friend and family higher than anything. Ikanni do however have a tendancy to be overly aggressive at times, much to the chagrin of nearby Tribe Dolse, which experiences the brunt of Ikanni frustration. Nemia after the Seven-Years War Nemian culture and civilization ended with the conclusion of the Seven-Years war, but for the other world powers this was in many ways the beginning of Nemian history as a global interest. Adventure seekers flocked to Nemia en-masse hoping to make their fortune by plundering the decimated ancient civilization. Above all others, a man named Rudolf Graiz, formerly Arkadian military, seated himself as Warlord of the Frontier and brought a violent peace to the lawless land. "Brute Tax" Those hoping to find a place on the frontier are geographically forced to arrive by a limited stretch of beach along the southeast coast. This lands them roughly half a day's march from Frontier Headquarters, Rudolf Graiz' base of operations in what was once Nemia. Newcomers are found and escorted here to be offered the protection of Graiz' Enforcers, ensuring no other frontiersmen may harm them so long as they remain within Graiz' sphere of influence. The price for this protection is a gold tithe, sometimes gently referred to as an "immigration fee" -- an amount that fluctuates almost case by case at Graiz' whim. Alpha A trade town and lumber operation established northeast of Frontier Headquarters, responsible for production of all construction grade materials within Graiz' Frontier. Alpha is built upon a Nemian ruin from the Tribal Era. Delta An agricultural camp due west of Frontier Headquarters established alongside an actual river delta. Here, the strange Bolobolo fruit is grown, a large citrus variant. Many frontiersmen rely on the Bolobolo to stave off scurvy. Omega A city believed to exist beyond the northern mountain range that divides the Nemian continent-- thought to be the seat of power for the ancient Nemians, a yet-unfound ruin that predates even the Tribal Era... others insist it does not exist at all. Foreign Relations Whereas the Nemian natives adhered to a strict isolationist policy with regards to foreign matters, Graiz' Frontier is heavily reliant on trade with Holo Athua for most of its food and medicine. In return, Graiz barters lumber, hewn stone, and other materials produced by his Alpha camp. The Demonic Incursion Shortly after the conclusion of the Seven-Years war, even as Graiz struggled to establish his fledgling expedition, the Nemian landscape began to teem with demons and devils of all shapes and sizes, loosed from shadowy portals that began to dot the continent... Category:Places